A Tale as Old as Time
by TheThirdDoppelganger
Summary: AU/AH. Elena Gilbert has loved her life in Manhattan. It was filled with literature and writing. That is until Damon Salvatore shows up as her new boss. Neither of them could deny their attraction toward each other. But, could it work? Elena, with a fear of making love, and Damon, with a fear of being in love. Inspired by Beauty and the Beast.
1. A Tale as Old as Time

**Beauty and the Beast was one of my favorite childhood movies, so I loved it when people would compare Elena and Damon to Belle and the Beast. They were similar in a lot of ways so I decided to craft a story about it. I hope you see some of the parallels between them!**

**Angst, love, drama, and conflicting personalities will be awaiting you in this story. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 1 - "A Tale as Old as Time"**

The elevator zoomed up the forty-eight floors in under a minute. The W.R Grace Building overlooked Bryant Park, a gorgeous space with lush greens. Elena Gilbert took a deep breath as she stood alone in the moving machine. Every time she ascended the forty-eight floors she reminded herself that she made it. Even after her awful senior year of college, she conquered her goals.

It came to a slow and swift stop as the doors opened. She stepped out, adjusting her chestnut colored hair that spilled in loose waves across her shoulders. Today, she opted to wear a classic heather gray pencil skirt matched with a white blouse. On her feet were black pumps her best friend, Caroline, splurged on her once she got the job. Elena returned the favor two months later with a Coach bracelet when Caroline scored her dream job - a fashion designer.

This wasn't exactly Elena's dream job. Since she was just a toddler, she had been making up stories and telling them to complete strangers. Her mother beamed when she wrote her first short story. Elena was following in her mother's footsteps as a writer.

Elena knew she owed her current job to her mother. After all, Parker's Publishers, one of the world's top publishing companies, became famous by Miranda Sommers-Gilbert's thrilling book series. Her mother became a billionaire from the novels. Of course they would hire her daughter, even if she was fresh out of college.

Still, Elena shouldn't put herself down as much as she did. She graduated at top of her class in both college and high school. Her wits got her into Ivy League school and she graduated as an English Major from Columbia University.

Now, she was spending her days working as an editor for Parker's Publishers as she worked her way into becoming a celebrity author. Creating worlds and characters was one of her favorite pastimes, alongside writing out her day in her journal and reading. She was always the Literature geek. Guess she had her mother to thank for that.

"Hello, Miss Gilbert." April, the bubbly secretary greeted her. Though April was two years older than Elena, she acted like a giddy high school cheerleader. "Oh! I saw the new boss. He's pretty hot. I wonder if he's single." She winked.

Elena had completely forgotten that their old boss, Jules, was offered another job in Los Angeles. It paid more than this one, so it was impossible to pass up. Elena had wanted Jules to be happy, but she felt crestfallen. Jules was the optimum boss. She had insisted her employees call her by her first name, was always up for a friendly chat, and would assist you in whatever you needed aid in. She even gave Elena relationship advice on several occasions.

After giving April a kind hello, she traveled the few feet to her office. Bonnie, one of her coworkers, was already there, typing rapidly on her computer. Her straight and thick black hair was yanked up into a round bun on the top of her head. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration at her screen.

Only when Elena interrupted her with, "Hey, Bonnie." did she look up. Bonnie and her never talked outside of their office, but she still classified them as friends. Sometimes, when they weren't swamped with work, they would gossip about scandals that Elena honestly didn't care about and they would eat lunch together everyday.

Bonnie gave her a polite smile. "Hey." She tilted her head to the side, squinting her eyes at Elena. "You look happy today."

She shrugged and took a seat at her desk. She pushed the button the Mac that was courtesy of the company. The machine complied and it lit up. "I am. It is Friday." Although her Friday nights weren't usually different from other weeknights. She'd still go home and read or write. That was her life.

"Or..." Bonnie grinned. "You had a mind-blowing orgasm last night that lasted for hours. It was the best sex of your life with the hottest man in New York and you plan on doing it all again tonight." She winked.

Elena felt her cheeks grow hot and red with embarrassment. Bonnie knew that anything relating to sex or genitals made her feel...dirty. It mortified her. Sure, she was innocent. But in this day in age, it was strange for a twenty-three year old to be a virgin.

When she didn't answer, Bonnie said, guiltily, "Sorry. Just forget that I said that, okay? Anyway, I'm relieved to see you happy. I didn't see you this way since before..." her voice trailed off.

Pursing her lips, Elena shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Bonnie, of course, was referring to her breakup with Matt Donovan that occurred two months ago. She wasn't exactly heartbroken over it. A couple of tears and Nicholas Spark book made her feel somewhat better. But, she was still a little sore over the reason why he had dumped her. She had to constantly remind herself that he was an asshole for breaking up with her because she wouldn't sleep with him.

_The breakup came out of the blue. They were on the couch in her apartment. She was sitting on his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck. Kissing. Now that she was okay with. By then, they had been dating for barely five months._

_Matt started to toy with the bottom hem of her cotton t-shirt. Elena did nothing in response. So, he settled on the next best thing. He ran his hands up her stomach until he was cupping her breasts. Then she pulled away._

_He frowned. "Elena." She could see it in his eyes how annoyed he was with her. This hadn't been the first time he suggested taking things a step further into their relationship._

_"Sorry." she mumbled, looking down as she settled back against the arm of the couch. She pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them._

_Matt ran a hand through his hair. "I mean...we're not teenagers anymore, Elena. We're grown adults. I just don't understand why." He paused, waiting for her to say something but she didn't. He continued on, "Is it me? Or is it some kind of religious thing?"_

_"No." she assured him. "It's just..." Did she even know what her reasoning behind refusing to give up her virginity was? "I don't know. Just the whole being so close to someone physically freaks me out. I don't know how to explain it."_

_But he shook his head. "Whatever." He stood up._

_"Matt..." She got up next to him, reaching for his hand but it pulled it away. He was irritated and she knew it._

_"No, Elena. Like I said, we're not some kids that could get chastised for having sex. I don't buy your excuse. It's just sex. Everyone does it." he argued._

_She knew that going a couple of months without sex was like a slow and painful torture for a man. But, shouldn't he at least have a little respect for her and her choices? It's not like she was going to remain a virgin forever. She was truthful in her reasoning. Those were private parts. Why would she want anyone to see her's? Why would she want to see anyone else's?_

_"I'm sorry." Is all she said. Matt had had it with her. He wasn't that great of a guy, she'd survive. It just felt like a slap in her face. A fear of intimacy is a real thing; she wasn't the only human in the world that suffered from it. It was like someone breaking up with someone because they had arachnophobia._

_She had always been like this. It took her a while to even get comfortable with someone kissing her. Her took her first boyfriend two weeks to coax her into a small lip smash. It took another month for them to French kiss. And this was when she was a sophomore in high school. They broke up three months after their first French kiss._

_Let's be honest here, though, swapping spit was disgusting. Elena had to fight the urge to gag several times._

_Matt sighed and said, "You're a good person, Elena. I wish things would work out between us. But..." His voice trailed off. Elena just nodded and he left her apartment without another word._

The memory was interrupted by the ringing of her phone. She pulled it out of her purse and checked the caller ID. Caroline Forbes. A small smile crept onto her face. Caroline could be annoying, but she was her best friend.

"Hey. What's up?" she answered. She clicked open her e-mail on her computer and started to read through her most recent message from the author.

"You, me, and Stefan dinner tonight? He has family in town and it's perfect. You won't be the odd man out _again._" Caroline said. Elena couldn't help but roll her eyes at her friend's emphasis on the word "again". She's been bugging her about her relationship status ever since her and Matt broke up.

"Gee, Caroline. Way to make me feel better about myself." she mumbled as she scanned through the author's e-mail. In it, they were discussing the relationship between two secondary characters. Elena felt like there was more to it than just friendship. The author disagreed.

"Sorry." Caroline replied. "Anyway, will you please come? I have a feeling you'll get along with Stefan's family. Maybe you'll even already know him." But Elena wasn't paying attention. She was too immersed in the author's e-mail. She thought that the young adult novel would do good in the market. It took place in medieval times and had the romance mixed with danger that every teen craved. "Elena!"

Elena sighed and swirled her chair around to look out the window at the city that overlooked New York City. "Sorry. Yes, I'll come. When and where?"

"Patsy's at seven. We already made reservations." the energetic blonde said. "Wear something pretty."

"Alway do." Elena muttered. "I really have to go. I'm working."

"Right, right. See you tonight!" Caroline hung up.

Elena put her phone back in her purse and began typing up a response to the author. Great. Her friend was trying to set her up again. If she was being honest, she did love being in relationships. She loved having someone to talk to, someone who can express her joy with her and can comfort her in her sorrow. She'd be an expert at relationships if they didn't require anything physical.

For the thousandth time, she wondered if there was something wrong with her.

There had to be. She was gorgeous, capable of rounding up a gorgeous partner. Yes, the whole physical thing creeped her out. But maybe it also scared her to lose her innocence. She had been known for that throughout middle school and high school. And, she liked that quality about her. It seemed to gain her more respect from adults and peers.

Bonnie looked over at her. "Caroline?" she said with a grin. Bonnie and Caroline had only met once but she knew just what kind of friend Caroline was.

"Yeah," Elena said. She pushed her long hair behind her shoulders and continued on working on the response. After this, she'd have to edit the next however many chapters of the book. It was a long process that made her exhausted by the end of the day. She kept her eye on the lookout for plot holes, spelling errors, grammar errors, when characters were acting out of character.

Just as she was starting to work on chapter eight of the story, April popped her head into the room. "Hey. New boss just called a meeting to the lounge." she said then disappeared. They heard her voice at the office next door telling them the same thing.

Together, Elena and Bonnie made their way to the lounge. Jules had set it up. It was like a break room for the employees. There were soda and snack machines here if people opted to enjoy their lunch here. It had a perfect view of Bryant Park. Elena had only ever sat on the black leather couches in the lounge a few times. She normally didn't take breaks and ate her lunch in her office.

The two girls sat on one of the couches. While Bonnie was small talking to another worker, one that Elena recognized from the marketing department, Elena was thinking. She'd have to overcome her fear of sex. She'll do it and maybe then she'll feel like a normal twenty-three year old.

* * *

Damon Salvatore turned heads as he approached the lounge. He couldn't help but smirk, enjoying the impact he had made on the women. He could tell who the single women are and who the married women are. The single women stared at him without guilt while the married ones blushed and looked away quickly. Either way, he had them under his spell. Not so bad for the first day.

He cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention. "Good morning. My name is Damon Salvatore, but you will refer to me as Mr. Salvatore. I will not take anything less." He kept his chin held high. "Let's get one thing straight; I will not take any crap from anyone."

He glanced around the group of workers, all of them looking suddenly nervous. Good. _Better to be feared than loved, _he thought. The work of Machiavelli. He greatly admired "The Prince".

"If anyone tries to do anything they're not supposed to be doing, I'll kick you out on the streets like that-" He snapped his fingers for emphasis. One young girl flinched. Once again, he smirked. "This is one the best publishing companies in the world so I expect you to be the best employees in the world, do I make myself clear?"

Every head in the room nodded.

He continued, "Now, a little about me." He began pacing back and forth. "Like I said, you will call me Mr. Salvatore. I was born near Richmond, Virginia. I have a business degree from Brown University. One of the things they taught me there was not to be afraid to fire anyone. This is now my publishing house and you will listen to my orders.

"While I understand that many of you have other responsibilities, I expect you to be completely devoted to your job. You will be on time everyday. No exceptions. If, for some reason, you cannot make it to work on a particular day, then you will call and inform me ahead of time and you will stay after the next day to make up with your work. Understood?"

Once again, people nodded their heads, too frightened to speak. He had that kind of effect on people. Maybe it was his words or the gleam in his eyes, but everyone knew not to do anything to piss him off. Now that would be a recipe for disaster.

Damon's gaze skittered around the room until they landed on one particular girl. Her long, tanned, and silky legs were crossed. Her pencil skirt only came down to just above her knee in that position. There was some fear in her doe-brown eyes, but there was also a look of determination. Her hair fell in soft waves below her breasts. And, peeking out of the clean white blouse, was a touch of cleavage.

Definitely a woman Damon Salvatore would have into his bed.

He set his gaze on her a moment longer than the rest. Enough to make her know that he was staring at her. She swallowed hard and he looked away. Then he said, "Get back to work." and retreated back into his office.

He considered himself heartbroken even if the breakup was four months ago. He loved her. The great Katherine Pierce. He thought things were going good between them, especially in bed. He finally had gathered up the the courage to tell her that he loved her.

That was when she bolted, making up an excuse that she was needed in Miami. She wouldn't tell him the reason why. She packed up her things in their shared apartment in Richmond, ignoring his protests to stay, and left within the hour.

Since then, one night stands were his thing. Finding a woman who was eager to get into bed with him was easy. He lost track of how many lovers he had. They were all good, though, none were exceptionally spectacular. They sufficed and that was all he needed. No one was as good as Katherine Pierce.

Then he received the call that offered him a well-paying job as head of a publishing company. It would be too stupid to refuse. So, he packed up his things in Richmond and moved to The Big Apple. New opportunities awaited him. New single and thirsty girls awaited him as well.

He swore off love but he'll never swear off making love.

As he slumped back in his chair, he thought about his new employees. They all seemed like they didn't care about their jobs, like it was just something to put food on the table. He hated people like that. If you're going to have a job, you should at least be passionate about it. Do the best you can possibly do at it.

He'd have a lot of firing to do. He wanted to make a name for himself and this was the perfect opportunity. The publishing house already had an outstanding reputation. Now, he was going to have the same reputation. Every company in the world will want him.

Startling him was a knock at the door. He sat up, adjusting his tie and hollered, "Come in!" He rolled his eyes. He wasn't exactly in the mood for company and just wanted to get his first day over with.

The secretary entered the room, giving him a smile that seemed too big for her face. She had greeted him the second he stepped off the elevator. He had forgotten her name. All he remembered was she was effervescent and irritating; qualities that did not mix well with him.

"Good morning, Mr. Salvatore." she said.

He just gave her a nod.

She continued on, brushing off his manners, "Is there anything I could get you, Mr. Salvatore? We have water - sparkling and flavored, of course - and tea, and oh-"

Damon cut her off harshly. "Coffee."

April, who seemed more than eager for the job, scampered off and down the hall to retrieve the coffee. During her absence, Damon truthfully considered locking the door and shutting the world out. He was just about to cross the room to the door when the bubbly secretary came back. This time she carried a silver tray with a cup of the bitter mahogany-colored drink, a few pastel-colored packets of sugar, a dazzling silver spoon, and a cup of creamer.

"Thank you." he muttered, not sounding sincere but at least he words were there. Without bothering to mix in the sugar and cream, he sipped the coffee just how he enjoyed it - black. Black and bitter. Only this time did he spit out the scalding hot coffee and in effect it sprayed all over his desk, staining specks of his papers a dark brown. "What kind of coffee is this?!" he demanded, in utter disgust. The coffee was repugnant and an insult to his tongue.

Poor April's eyes widen in consternation. "Oh...um...I'm not sure, sir, but I can go check..." she had begun but Damon's evil glare and grimace shut her up rather quickly.

"This coffee is revolting!" Damon exclaimed brusquely. It brought him a brief second of shame when he considered tossing the coffee in her face. But he continued on anyway, "You would think a company like this would be able to afford something other than this nauseating coffee."

But April, who was doomed to please everyone, said, "I could run down the street to the market and get you some new coffee."

Damon shook his head, harshly slamming the coffee back on the tray, it's contents spilling out and burning his hands. "Just go," he said through gritted teeth.

So, she did. She left his office quickly and without another word, shutting the door behind her as she left. The man sunk down in his seat, rubbing the side of his temples. All those years of counseling that his father forced him to attend didn't pay off. He was still the angry little boy that he always was. No one knew for sure what caused him to become that way. The possibilities were endless those. A rotten gene? The sadness of losing his mother, his only true friend in the world? His father that always seemed to take more to his brother than him?

The ringing of his cellphone pulled him out of his misery. He held the iPhone up to his ear. "What?" he grumbled, having already read and groaned at the Caller I.D. Some people just never learn to leave someone else alone.

"So, how's your first day, brother? Are the kids being nice?" Stefan said. Damon couldn't decide who was more annoying - the secretary or his younger brother. In the end he went with his sibling. He could always fire the girl, whereas he was stuck in the same family with Stefan for life.

"Just dandy." He twirled his chair around to face the spectacular view of lower Manhattan. "And how are you on this wonderful Friday morning, brother dearest?"

Stefan barked with laughter. The two brothers only ever tolerated each other. Damon had only ever used the word "love" for two people. His mother and Katherine. Both of which broke his heart and he vowed never to use the word again. The younger Salvatore said, "Pretty good, pretty good. Hey, now that we're basically neighbors-"

"We are _not_ neighbors." Damon corrected him. "Just because we are unfortunate enough to live in the same city does not mean we're suddenly neighbors that give their sugar to one another. New York City is a big city."

"We live a few streets away. Trust me, that's like being neighbors here in the city." Stefan babbled.

Damon heaved a sigh. "Don't beat around the brush. Why'd you call?"

"Because we are going out to celebrate tonight for two reasons."

"What are those reasons?" He arched an eyebrow at an empty room. The only thing he hated more than love was celebrating. Parties and balloons and cake and beer pong were for the weak. He preferred doing everything alone.

"The first one is that my lovely big brother moved here and we'll get to see a whole lot more of each other's faces. And the second reason is that Caroline and I have something to tell you."

Having enough of sitting, Damon stood up and paced back and forth in front of the window that expanded across a whole wall. He kept one hand in the pants pocket of his suit and the other securing the phone to his ear. "So Caroline will be joining us too?"

"Yes. And don't be a douche to her. I think she's wrangling up a friend to bring along too."

He groaned loudly. He could hardly bare Caroline and would end up committing homicide if her friend was just as irritating as her. Just as he was about to refuse his brother's offer, Stefan said, "Seriously, Damon. I really want you to join us tonight. It's just a dinner. And the news we have is important and I want to share the moment with you."

"Fine. Text me the address." Then he hung up and looked over the papers on his desk that were demanding his attention.

* * *

Elena had a particularly horrible day. First, she was introduced to her boss who seemed like the greatest asshole she'd ever come across in her life. Then, being the compassionate person she was, she spent twenty minutes attempting to calm April down after she seemed to have some sort of ordeal with Mr. Salvatore. After that, her entire computer somehow broke and she lost thirty pages of editing she did previously.

As she walked to the elevator she questioned why bad things happened to good people.

Within a minute, the elevator reached her floor and she stepped inside. Just as the doors were about to shut, in popped Damon. He looked frazzled after his first work day. He gave her a polite but quick smile as the doors shut, leaving them to be the only ones in the elevator.

The two stood side by side, facing the door as the lift took them toward the ground. Elena shifted awkwardly from her left foot to her right foot. Damon watched her out of the corner of his eye with a smirk on his face. _She's fuckable_, he thought. He recognized her from the meeting held earlier today and he was positive she knew who he was as well.

He cleared his throat to crack the silence. "I'm Damon Salvatore. You're one of the editors, right?" He turned to her.

She looked at him with her big and innocent doe-brown eyes. "Yes." her voice squeaked. He stifled a laugh. She was cute, definitely. "I'm Elena Gilbert." She held out her hand and Damon shook it, taking in the softness of her skin.

The lift came to a stop at the first floor and the doors opened and in came the noise of the crowded lobby. Damon smiled, his eyes alive with something, "I look forward to seeing you Monday morning, Miss Gilbert." And he stepped out before Elena can respond.

As Elena exited the building, she casted one look over her shoulder and met the icy eyes of Mr. Salvatore.


	2. Be Our Guest

**Chapter 2 - "Be Our Guest"**

Patsy's was a cozy Italian restaurant on West 56th Street. Caroline and Elena had discovered it while on a shopping spree one day and it has been their favorite place to dine since. After all, they were both lovers of Italian cuisine. Since Elena got the feeling that the occasion was somewhat special, she wore a long-sleeved black dress that clung to her slender curves and gave her admirers a peek of cleavage. She didn't take notice to it, but it made her legs look longer and tanned.

Caroline and Stefan were already seated at a booth by the time Elena arrived. She was grateful they already made a reservation since the restaurant was packed because of it being a Friday night. She slid into the booth opposite the couple. She had grown used to being a third wheel for the happily married duet. Hundreds of times had they gone to movie theaters, clubs, and bars together. A few of those times Elena took a boyfriend along, but her boyfriends didn't seem to last past a couple of months.

She didn't have to wonder why.

"Elena!" Caroline greeted her, leaning over the table and giving her best friend a hug. They had both gone to the same school in Manhattan and had known each other since they were children. Caroline's mother was one of the most respected policewoman on the New York City Police. Mrs. Forbes and Mrs. Gilbert were also best of friends, tending to do everything together and merely passed their friendship down a generation to Caroline and Elena.

After warm greetings from the old friends, Elena settled comfortably into her seat. The air held the rich aroma of Italian food. It brought back joyous memories of spending Friday nights in with her parents and younger brother. Being Italian descent, her father had memorized what seemed like thousands of recipes.

Reminiscing on her parents brought an ache to the pit of her stomach. She had to remind herself that she wasn't alone in the world, that she had her brother, her aunt, and Caroline. But, still. She felt lonely. Having both parents die was like living a nightmare that she could never wake up from. Most nights she laid wide awake, staring at her ceiling and wondering how her life would be if she didn't ask her parents to drive to the grocery store quick. If she only remembered to pick up milk the day before. If she only talked to them a moment longer. Maybe they still would be alive.

Since the accident, she had been overwhelmed by grief and guilt. Friends and family had tried to convince her that it wasn't her fault; that accidents happen all the time and that was fate playing its role. But Elena knew it was her fault that her parents died.

Her misery was interrupted when Stefan's loud voice boomed across the room, laced with excitement, "Damon!" In the few years that Elena knew Stefan, he only ever sounded excited around Caroline. That was why she knew Caroline and Stefan were meant to be.

She whipped her head over as Damon approached the table, walking casually like he didn't care. He wore the same suit that he wore while at work, though his hair was messy like he ran his hand through it plenty of times. "Good evening, brother." he said.

Then he looked over at Elena and his eyes widened for a moment upon realization of who she was. Elena simply blushed. She didn't like being in the notice of any man. To make things worse, Damon had such a hard and heavy gaze that made her feel like he was undressing her.

For some silly reason, Elena's heart pounded beneath her skin.

Damon tilted his chin up. "Miss Gilbert, right?"

She nodded.

The next person to speak was Caroline. "Elena, Damon is Stefan's brother. Damon, Elena is my best friend. Oh, it's so exciting how we all know each other!" She clapped her hands together. "I thought it would be cool to surprise you both."

In place of replying, Damon slipped into the booth next to Elena. She reacted by shifting over an inch. Despite him being her boss, the two were practically strangers. Besides, Elena didn't need to be that close to someone. She did feel the need to say something, though. So, she cleared her throat and looked at the man next to her. "I guess I didn't put two-and-two together when I heard your last name was Salvatore. You look nothing alike though."

"That's because I'm the hotter one." Damon smirked, adjusting his collar. Caroline let out a laugh that she seemed to always be holding in, Stefan forced a tiny chuckle, and Elena just smiled politely, feeling her cheeks heat up again.

[...]

The food was delectable. Elena had ordered mouth-watering Penne Vodka, which was apparently one of the dishes Patsy's was best known for. The tangerine-colored sauce was rich and creamy and exquisite. Throughout the meal, she thought that Damon slowly inched himself closer to her. Even once she caught him picking up a meatball and eating it with his bare fingers, then licking the chunky red sauce off his fingers. While Elena wasn't so strict with etiquette, she had to wonder, _Didn't his mother teach him manners?_

"So, brother." Damon started, studying his cup of ice water as the ice cubes clunk around. "You forced me to come to dinner with you because you have big news. Care to share?"

Stefan glanced over at Caroline, who was already looking at him, as if asking for permission. The man nodded and Caroline turn to the two opposite the married couple. She took a deep breath then announced, "I'm pregnant!"

Elena was hit with a wave of feelings. The obvious one was happiness for her friend. The others consisted of feeling envious and dejected. She didn't want a child to care for currently in her life, she was perfectly content with her job and her literature that consumed her, but she had always wanted one. When they were teenagers, they had a neighbor that always asked the two girls to watch her daughter. Babysitting only made Elena ache for a child more, while it left Caroline in disgust and she swore she'd never have a kid.

And now she was pregnant.

And Elena was still a virgin.

But Elena slapped on the biggest smile she could muster up and said, "Congratulations!" But she didn't feel like congratulating her at all. Maybe it was selfish of her to think so, but she felt she was the one who deserved to be blessed with a baby. Though she was definitely not any Virgin Mary. Losing her virginity was step one towards a family and she can't conquer that.

She felt more guilty when she saw the elation on Caroline's face. They _had_ both grown plenty since they were fatuous teenagers. Plus, Caroline was married with a stable job. There was no reason for her to not have a baby. But Elena still found herself faking smiles for the rest of the night.

Damon couldn't be more different. He resisted the urge to burst into laughter when he heard of his brother's misfortune. If it wasn't obvious, children weren't in his plan at all. Fuck and go. That was the way to do it. He never wanted them and never will. Though, even if he won't admit it to himself, he always had a soft spot for kids. There was a sort of desire for reproducing deep down inside. He just needed a person to bring it out in him.

But, for now, he'll stick to casual sex.

[...]

Elena was grateful when the conversation gravitated toward talking about work. Caroline bragged all about her job while Stefan listened intently, Elena pretended to listen having already heard all of it, and Damon just twiddled with his phone. Elena's eyes would quickly glance over to her neighbor and she caught him _reading_. She had to force herself not to ask him what he was reading.

They were brought back to attention when Stefan said, "So, what's it like working together?"

Elena and Damon both looked at each other. Elena declared it unfair; she barely knew Damon and was now supposed to talk highly about him. If anything, he frightened her during his speech today. At least now at dinner with his brother she saw the human side of him.

Damon did the talking, "Well, we didn't really get a chance to speak one-on-one together today, but she seems like an excellent employee and I look forward to working with her." _And fucking her brains out._ He loved casual sex, but he knows he'll especially _love_ casual sex with Elena.

Feeling the need to speak, Elena said, "Yeah, definitely. He seems like an outstanding boss and nearly made several people pee their pants when he gave his introduction speech today." Maybe joking would make all of this less awkward. In truth, she wasn't into this conversation. Her mind was on the topic of losing her virginity - how she wanted it and it terrified her at the same time.

"That does sound like my brother." Stefan sighed, like he was ashamed of her blood-relations.

The rest of dinner passed uneventfully. Caroline yapped endlessly, Stefan threw in his small comments once in a while, Elena sat and forced smiles, and Damon scrolled on his phone. Elena caught Damon staring at her at least five times during the evening. But what really made her nervous was what she felt. A flutter in her chest. A desire in her middle. From what she discovered while reading, this is apparently what lust felt like.

* * *

Bright and early on Monday morning, Damon was pacing his office. Elena had consumed his thoughts all weekend. The last woman to do this to him was Katherine and that backfired. He had to get rid of this feeling, of whatever emotion was lurking deep. Then he decided that sex was the only way to accomplish that. It could sound absurd, but after his string of one night stands, he felt nothing for those women. Casual sex erased any emotions.

He called Stefan, something he normally didn't do. This Elena was changing him already. When Stefan answered, he sounded surprised, "Are you seriously calling me right now? Oh, God...Dad didn't die, right? Please tell me Dad didn't die."

"No, Dad didn't die." he snapped, already embarrassed of why he was calling. He didn't need his brother's ramblings.

"Oh." Stefan sounded relieved. "Are _you_ dying? Are you, like, lost or did you get kidnapped or something? I mean...you usually don't call me. Actually you never called me before. What's up?"

Damon gritted his teeth. "If you would shut the fuck up for ten seconds maybe I could explain." He was ready to throw the phone at the wall.

"Fine. Speak." Stefan kept it short, knowing that it was a death wish to argue with his brother while he's in one of his rages.

He took a deep breath, wondering how he was ever going to explain this. His cheeks reddened. "I am...God, how do I explain this?...I'm...attracted to Elena. You know...she's hot." He was flustered for the first time in his life. Normally, words came easy to him. Now he was at a lost with them. "So, what I'm asking is...how do I-"

"Get her in bed?" he finished for him.

There was no point in denying it. His brother knew all too well about his sexual preferences. He leaned against his desk, facing the breathtaking view of skyscraper after skyscraper. "There's nothing wrong with that, brother."

"Not with some sleaze. But this is Elena. She's a nice girl, Damon. I don't want you to take advantage of her."

Damon growled, "I'm not taking advantage of her!"

"Yes, you are. Damon, I know you. You find a hot girl, shag her, then leave her. That isn't what every girl on the universe wants. She's a good person and one of my friends. I'm not going to let you just lure her into your chamber and then make her cry."

Damon balled his free fist in anger. He certainly _did not_ take advantage of women. He had sex with them because it was their choice and there was nothing wrong with that. The female species aren't stupid; they can tell by your way of flirting that you want a once-and-done thing. Never once did a women tell him or act like they regretted sleeping with him. They all left his apartment with smirks and feeling like their legs were made out of Jell-O.

And anger coursed through his veins at his brother's audacity to say something like that. "Then you do not know me at all because I have never taken advantage of a woman. You really should learn to be more like me. The only woman you ever managed to 'lure to your chamber' was annoying little Caroline." Then he hung up and slammed his cellphone on his desk.

There was no way he was going to listen to his brother, but even he had some feeling in his stomach that this was wrong. He couldn't explain it. Elena was tempting him without even trying and he was clueless about how she did that. Something in him changed when he looked at her, even if he only saw her three times in his entire life. Maybe once-and-done sex wouldn't work out for them; they'd have to see each other at work everyday afterwards and he didn't appreciate seeing women he fucked on a daily basis. But he couldn't resist. He had to get to know her better and he had to get inside of her. It was like there was some string between them, yanking the two together.

As if he on cue, little Miss April pranced into his office. She had been pestering him all day, probably wanting to get on his good side. As if he had one. She gave him an award-winning smile and said, "Is there anything I could get you?"

"Yes, actually." For the first and most likely last time, he gave her a tight-lipped smile. "Get Elena Gilbert to come to my office, please."

Without question, April nodded and left the room. He sat back in his chair and found himself smoothing back a piece of his hair. A little date wouldn't hurt anyone, right? Maybe then she'll see for herself the chemistry the two possessed and she'll _beg_ him to sleep with her. Then the two would make a pact to remain professional at work and pretend like it never happened.

He was going to ask her on a date.

And he was nervous.

It had felt like years since he asked anyone on a date. The last person was Katherine, who had accepted his request eagerly and they ended up going to a local bar that night. But Elena didn't see like the bar type. He thought of various places where he could bring her and how exactly he should ask her when she stepped inside his office.

Elena had been surprised when April told her she was wanted in Mr. Salvatore's office. But she stepped into his room, soothing down her lavender blouse she wore and tried not to seem so nervous. Though she couldn't help but chew on her bottom lip, an action that made Damon swallow hard and force himself not to fuck her right then and there on his desk.

"You wanted to see me, Mr. Salvatore?" she said, still hanging in the doorway.

She had spent the weekend in her little paradise. Surrounded by books, that is. She finished two and started on another, which she stashed away in her purse to read during her lunch break. Caroline and her chatted on the phone for about an hour on Saturday night. The blonde wouldn't shut up about all things baby. Elena, who could normally handle her friend's ability to irritate someone easily, grew frustrated.

But, each night right before she fell asleep, her thoughts wandered back to her new boss. He was handsome and his attitude reminded her of Mr. Darcy. She couldn't help but wonder what he was like in bed. Surely he had lost his virginity already, the confidence in the way he walked told her that. She remembered back to the elevator incident and how it felt like his eyes were staring right through her, reaching her core and seeing all her secrets. She wondered if it was obvious that she was a virgin.

Then the most vile thought came to her innocent mind. _Would he ever sleep with her?_ It terrified her that she thought that, but the desire she felt earlier in her center grew the more she contemplated it. After much thought on the subject, she found herself even more scared to _do it_ with anyone. She did and did not want him to see her naked. She did and did not want him to thrust himself inside of her, taking her innocence. Her mixed emotions and thoughts frightened her as well. She was always the erudite student with straight and clear thoughts.

"Oh, um, yes." Damon cleared his throat and for a moment Elena thought she was going to get fired. Damon, sensing her anxiety, quickly calmed her down, "Don't worry, you're not in trouble or anything. Actually...these matters are personal."

Personal? She thought of Mr. Salvatore as someone who utterly disposed when people combined their personal issues with work. His confession did quiet her drumming heart and she took a seat in the sturdy vinyl chair that sat directly across from his desk. She didn't know what to say and waited for him to begin.

"How was your weekend?" he blurted out. Again, this woman put him at a loss for words. He was no man of small talk. Then an uninvited thought crept up on him, _Maybe I wanted to know how her weekend was._ That was absurd. He wasn't one to care about women other than if they were enjoying the sex. He pushed the thought away as quickly as it came.

"My weekend?" She crossed her legs, causing Damon's eyes to flicker toward them. She squirmed in her seat, aware that his eyes were on a place other than her face. She surely wasn't going to tell him she spent it cooped up in her apartment. "It was good. And yours?"

"Fine." he told her quickly, wanting to get away from this nonsensical prattle. He adjusted his tie and cleared his throat. "Anyway, the reason I asked you to see me is because I wanted to see if you would like to go on a date with me Friday?" He bit his lip, feeling like a fool.

"Oh." Elena raised her eyebrows. She didn't know what to say.

His face fell at her reaction. Now that he wasn't expecting. He couldn't recall a time when he was rejected. She didn't want him. He'll have to suffer everyday seeing her at work and knowing that she _rejected_ him. It was simply something women did not do to him. "You don't have to." He ran his hand through his hair. "I get it, I mean...it's okay."

"No, no." Elena shook her head, twirling the tips of her long silky hair. She uncrossed her legs, her pupils dilating. So, he did like her. But, if he liked her, that meant that he probably did want to sleep with her. Which could lead to another relationship ruined by her phobia. Oh God, she didn't even want to imagine how awkward it would be if she said no to sex with him. "I would like to go on a date with you." Her pronunciation of the words were choppy and uneven and she mentally cursed herself. As an English major, she knew how to speak and this was making her look like she didn't know how to talk in front of another human.

The expression of relief was obvious on his face. "Good." He nodded. "I'll, um...I'll pick you up then Friday at, say, eight?" Lord, she must think he was a fool. He thought he was a fool. "And I should probably have your number." he suggested.

"Of course, Mr. Salvatore." she said.

He couldn't help but chuckle. She was awfully cute. "I think if we're going to be going on a date we should be on first name basis, Elena." He drew out her name, loving the way it rolled off his tongue. Elena. The name of a goddess.

"Yes, I guess that would be ideal, Damon." She forced herself to say his name. It felt strange to come out of her mouth in a workplace. Here, it had settled into her mind that he was to be referred to as Mr. Salvatore.

He handed her his phone and she typed in her number. As she hit the buttons, she felt his eyes on her and that only made her more paranoid. She wish she could act normally around men, especially men who were attracted to her. Though the only men she felt comfortable around were fictional characters and that was plain pathetic.

"I'll see you Friday night then." He gave her a smile. She somehow gathered the courage to raise the corners of her lips as well and darted out of the room. Her palms began to sweat like they always did whenever she was nervous. _Oh, Caroline will get a kick out of this one,_ she thought.

She retreated back to the safety of her office, where Bonnie was working obediently. But as soon as Elena stepped foot inside their office, her head snapped up towards her. "What did Mr. Salvatore want you for?" Elena could tell the question was on Bonnie's tongue the whole time, dying to be said aloud.

"He asked me on a date." she said, the words sounding crazy even to her own ears. Trying not to make a big deal out of it, she took her seat back at her desk and began her tedious editing job.

"Wait...like an actual date? What did he say?" Bonnie pressed.

She looked over at her. "Yes, like an actual date. He just asked me out Friday and I said yes and then I gave him my number. It's really not a big deal, Bonnie." Although that was more to convince herself than her friend.

"Wow." Bonnie said simply. "Caroline is going to freak."

Elena laughed and that felt good. Dating wasn't such a big deal, was it? They would go on the date and she won't feel embarrassed about her choices because sex wouldn't even be an option. They would talk and laugh and eat because that's how first dates normally go. Maybe kiss but that was pushing it too far. First dates were supposed to be to get to know each other. She'll have a good time.

**Thank you for everyone's support after the first chapter! I was not expecting so many reviews, favorites, and follows. It means a lot - seriously.**

**I wanted to share this since I think you all would find this amazing. A New York Times Best-Selling Author recently came to my school! I do not want to say her name since her posts on Facebook and Twitter tell the name of my school and I feel like that's too personal to share. But, trust me on this one, she's pretty big in the YA world. Anyway, she came and spoke about her life. During the assembly, I got to sit in the first row and closest to her. At the end my principal said, "We have some students that are aspiring to be writers and would like to ask you some questions." Then my principal looked right at me and said, "Megan, do you have any questions for her?" **

**And that's the story of how a famous author talked to me.**

**She also signed two of my books by her and another one for my cousin.**

**That's not all, though. Since I helped raise money to get her to come, a bunch of us had lunch in my English teacher's classroom and I talked more to her. She answered questions about her book and her life as an author. AMAZING!**

**I almost missed her too! I got super sick the day before she was supposed to come. I'm not talking about the sniffles either, I was full on vomiting. Gross! But luckily it was only a 12 hour virus and I got to go to school the next day to meet her. (I think I got kids at school sick, though. Whoops!)**

**Afterwards I tweeted about how it was such an amazing opportunity to meet her and talk to her since I want to be an author. Then she tweeted me back saying that I could do it!**

**As for "It's Like You're Screaming", I promise that I'm going to finish it. It's just hard to get back into the swing of that world because I'm invested into this story now. But the ending is coming! **


	3. Enchanted

**Chapter 3 - "Enchanted"**

There were two things Elena noticed about Damon when he picked her up for the date that Friday evening. One, the pores on her palms seemed to drip sweat when Damon took her hand in his. Second, his eyes burned with desire whenever they landed on her, hungrily roaming down the curves of her body. She didn't understand how his mere touch vibrated through her, grabbing the attention of every nerve in her body. Aching for more. This was a type of ache, a wanting, that she never experienced before.

"You look beautiful." he had told her the moment he picked her up from her apartment. Her cheeks resembled juicy summer cherries. Damon had an appetite to kiss her. This wasn't strange for him; he had a lot of girls he wanted to kiss. But with Elena it was different. He wanted to kiss her slowly, gently. To feel every grove on her chapped lips, to taste the flavor of her tongue.

Her curls bounced as they walked down the busy city block. The restaurant wasn't far from where Elena resided and it was a lovely night. The breeze was soft, brushing strands of their hair backward as they walked. The air had a sweet aroma to it, like the spring had kissed it. Damon had a particular fondness for the way Elena's peach colored dress flowed with the wind, the way it showed off her legs. She pulled her denim jacket around her tighter.

"Thank you," she replied. Elena had spent the whole week fretting about this night. Despite her attempts to calm herself, she only managed to get more nervous as the minutes and hours and days ticked by. Several pages in her journal had documented her feelings.

Even though it was New York City, they felt like the only ones in the world.

He held the door as they came across the welcoming restaurant on the edge of Elena's block. Dim lights hung low above each booth. Unlike Patsy's, this restaurant was silent save for the quiet murmurs erupting from the mouthes of the other customers and the occasional clank from the direction of the kitchen. A superb atmosphere for a first date.

The first several minutes between the two were spent studying the menu, followed by ordering their food and drinks. Neither of them knew quite what to say. Though, the silence was anything but awkward. They would be comfortable together in any situation. Finally, just as their drinks arrived, Damon said to her, "Well, first dates are where you're supposed to get to know the other person. You know, decide if they're a suitable mate." He wiggled his eyebrows, resulting in a blush from Elena. "So, tell me about yourself, Miss Gilbert."

"That depends. What do you want to know?" Her voice came out huskily, providing something sensual that thrilled Damon. Elena Gilbert could be seductive without even trying. Once again, he didn't know how she could do that. Elena didn't come across the girl who tried getting all the men to flock to her. Which, of course, only made her a challenge. Something Damon craved.

"Favorite color."

A simple question, but your favorite color can reveal the deepest parts of a person. "Red." Elena answered quickly, cupping her hand around her mug of tea. It warmed her from the outside in. "And yours?"

Damon narrowed his eyes at her. Red. He pictured her in red lingerie, her hair covering the padding of her bra but not her cleavage. Even in his mind, it looked like Elena just belonged in his bed. Like it was build especially for her. Oh God. The things that this women did to him. "Black." he decided on a whim. He was never one to sit back and think about the things he preferred.

Red, the most passionate of all the colors. Black, the most dangerous.

"Tell me how you met Caroline." he said, mainly for conversation. He racked his brain of moves he could pull or lines he could say to get her in bed and they could play out his fantasy. But all the lines he used previously on women were too unworthy for Elena.

"She lived near me when we were kids. My parents were friends with her mom, so I guess we were kind of forced into friendship." She smiled, tapping her fingers against the cup. "I get that she has some annoying qualities, but she's my best friend."

He smiled at her, which filled her with even more joy and anxiety. "Your parents must be very proud of you. So young and already so accomplished." But his smile faded when he saw the sadness form in her doe-brown eyes. Something he said had upset her. "What?"

She shook her head. She refused to cry on a first date, or any date at all for that matter. "Nothing. It's just...my parents died." she said, blinking back tears that came whenever someone mentioned her parents.

Without thinking, he reached across the table and took hold of her hand, rubbing the pad of his thumb over the folds of skin between her thumb and pointer finger. His eyes soften. Elena was younger than he was and he at least had a parent. She had none, practically alone in this world. He felt her pain and, for once, knew what to say. "I'm not some big Christian believer, but I'm sure that your parents are up there in Heaven, screaming their heads off because they're worried about you going on a date with a bad boy like me."

That cracked a smile on Elena's sad face. "Thanks."

She wanted to lean over the table and press her lips against his. It rumbled deep in her core. She didn't know why, but she sensed that if she were an alcoholic, he'd be the strongest whiskey she'd ever come across. Drawing her towards him, capturing her mind and her heart. A secret poison disguised in an inviting glass of red wine.

"My mom died when I was five." he revealed, in a deep stare at the steaming warm cup Elena held. He didn't know why he felt possessed to say it. Maybe to show that they weren't completely different. "I don't really remember her, wish I did though. It's fine. I don't want pity." He waved it off like he was talking about losing his goldfish. Elena pursed her lips, wishing that he would allow her pity. To allow her to comfort him.

But, she had to say, "I'm sorry." to him. Losing a parent was impossible to get over. You find yourself mourning them for the rest of your life, wishing that their's was longer. _He'll never get to walk me down the aisle. She'll never teach me how to feed my firstborn. He'll never be able to take my kids to a baseball game. She'll never be able to sneak my kids sweets. _And she was overcome by sadness.

Damon cleared his throat, having the brilliant idea to alter the subject. "So, Elena, you seem passionate about your job. Is this what you always wanted to do?" She couldn't help but be flattered. Normally, guys didn't care about her dreams. They focused on themselves. You know, the type of guys that wear condoms ten sizes too big and they have egos to match.

"Actually, I've always wanted to been a writer." She played with the ends of her hair.

He raised his eyebrows, impressed. "A writer? Well, looks like you're working in the appropriate place to start your dream. What got you started in all of it?"

"My mom," she said. "really got me interested in the craft. She's probably the reason I got the job in the first place. She's the author of _The House of Mary-Wuther _series." Everyone in the world heard of that series. It was as big as the _Harry Potter_ series. From her mother's mind came the words, the characters, and plot, which erupted into an even bigger movie franchise.

"Your mom is Miranda Sommers?" He stopped slouching. _The House of Mary-Wuther_ was what really got Parker's Publishings what it is today.

Elena shrugged, remaining humble about it. So, Damon continued, "Well, then I'm sure you're just as talented as your mother."

He stared at the European beauty across from him, imaging her eyebrows furrowed as she concentrated on typing up a world. He had to meet with a few writers already from working at the publishing house and immediately took a disgust to them. They seemed arrogant, rich snobs that thought they were the next Shakespeare. They boasted about themselves to such a high degree that Damon couldn't stand another moment of it.

But Elena didn't seem like that. She had a dreamy look in her eyes. The same ones that lit up when writing was mention. You could see a true passion in somebody's eyes.

They enjoyed the rest of their dinner together. Damon found Elena's little kid giggle contagious. His hardened lips curled up at the edges whenever she laughed. Elena changed something in him. She turned on a switch, one that has collected dust ever since his mother died. Even Katherine didn't have the power to switch it on.

Before going back to Elena's apartment, they decided to go for a short walk around the concrete jungle. As they walked, Damon grabbed hold of Elena's hand. Their palms fit together like two pieces of a missing puzzle. Molded specifically for each other. Elena's heart thumped in her chest. Damon felt something straining at zipper of his parts whenever his mind wandered off.

The single flaw to their night occurred when they were crossing a street. A yellow taxi jutted out just as they began their journey across the street. Reacting quickly, Damon grabbed Elena's waist, pulling her behind him so he was closest to the taxi. The car screeched to a stop less than an inch from the blue-eyed man. It took a few moments for Elena to gather what had happened. Damon Salvatore had saved her life. Damon Salvatore's arm was and still is wrapped around her waist.

And despite almost getting killed, her heart was beating rapidly for a whole other reason.

Damon snapped. His eyes turned as sharp as a snake's. He pounded his fist against the bright hood of the car, screaming expletive words at the driver. A normal person might have flipped the driver off and walked away. Not Damon. The driver jumped out of the car and shouted, "You no do that! You pay!" He had a difficult time speaking English and Elena wondered where he was from, if he had a family, if he was making enough money...

"You nearly fucking me and her!" Damon said ferociously. "What the fuck! Do you not know how to drive?!" He grabbed the shoulders of the man and shook him so fiercely Elena was scared the man's head would just topple off.

"Damon!" Elena stepped between the two men. The driver looked at him in horror, his beetle eyes wide and his mouth trying to form a scream. Shocked at her date's behavior, she looked back at the man and was about to say an apology when Damon spoke again.

He pulled away from Elena, his eyes still on the driver. His nostrils flared. "You can fucking bet you'll be homeless in a few days. I have some calls to make." He was no longer shouting, but his voice was eerily calm. Somehow, that made Elena and the man shudder even more.

Just before Elena could get him away from the scene, he stepped forward again and delivered a punch to the center of the man's face. He stumbled back, letting out a cry and covering his nose with his hand. By now, they had attracted a crowd. Elena feared a police officer would come out and arrest Damon. What would she do then?

Elena pushed herself past Damon and over to the poor man. She realized that he was crying. Guilt filtered through her even if this wasn't her fault. She rummaged through her purse and retrieved a wad of tissues. She held it up to the man's bloody nose. Cars were now passing them, honking their horns angrily but there's always a traffic jam in New York.

"I'm so sorry about him." she said. Surely his nose was broken. He'd have to go to the hospital, get that checked out by a doctor. "I really don't know what came over him. How does your nose feel?" She was positive she heard a _crack_ the second Damon's faced touched the man's nose.

"Pain." he replied, reaching up and wiping away his tears. Then he waved her off and climbed back into his taxi. He sped off, this time going in the wrong lane to get as far away from Damon as possible

Elena whirled around to face Damon. "What the hell was that?!" she shouted, walking back over to him. He was breathing heavily with anger. When he didn't say anything, she scoffed and cross the street over to the sidewalk.

He followed. "He almost killed us. I wasn't just going to let him go." He ran a hard through his hair, looking stressed.

"But you can't just do that to people, Damon! What is wrong with you?!" She stopped, facing him.

This is the first time any girl, besides Katherine, saw him act this way. He felt ashamed by just the way Elena looked at him. He couldn't explain his anger issues. He became a different person. A real-life version of the Hulk. Though, he noted that his outburst didn't scare her away. She was here. She saw the power and the temper he possessed and, although she was pissed, she remained there without any traces of fear in her eyes.

And he couldn't even explain how grateful he felt.

She was here. He was here.

Then the gentle beast took the maiden's hands in his, wrapping his claws around them. This action surprised her and she was tempted to pull away, but something in her refused. His voice became soft enough to rock a child to sleep. "Let's get you home."

* * *

He spent the next two days hating himself. Hell, this was no way to fuck her brains out. Surely that idea was ridiculous anyway. Stefan was right: Elena was a sweetheart and he was him. If Elena wasn't there God only knows what he would've done to that man.

Damon Salvatore: The Taxi Driver Killer.

The smart thing to do would be to completely forget the topic of Elena Gilbert. To ignore her at work, to pretend like she never existed and that he never imagined what her skin would taste like. But never talking to Elena again was almost as tragic as her hating him. He knew that he would have to apologize, explain his evil ways. She was compassionate but everyone seemed to lose their compassion around him.

* * *

Caroline held up a pink onesie with white polka-dots on it. "Isn't this just adorable?" she commented, like she did for every other article of baby clothing that she saw. Driving Elena bonkers was one of her best talents. The only way Caroline managed to drag Elena along on the little shopping trip was because she promised a trip to Barnes and Noble.

She offered her friend smiles as she shuffled through rack after rack of tiny clothes for newborns. The blonde insisted on going shopping today, even if she hardly one month pregnant. _Their house will be overflowing with baby clothes by the time it actually arrives_, Elena thought. She had to admit that getting out was better than staying holed up in her apartment all day. A push was all she needed. Besides, as Caroline yapped about all things baby, her mind drifted to thoughts about Damon and his conniption.

It terrified her and sent her mind bobbling all at once.

Once they had formed a small pile in the shopping cart, Caroline took his opportunity to question the virgin. "How did your date go?" she asked, feigning nonchalance. But Elena knew the tone all too well. Caroline was going to devour every single one of her thoughts and emotions about the date before giving her own judgmental opinion about it. It was their thing.

"It was..." She took a deep breath. "...interesting, for lack of a better word."

Caroline arched an eyebrow at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I think he has anger issues or something." Elena said, before adding another onesie into the cart after getting the mommy-to-be's approval. "The date was fine and he was really sweet. But then we were walking home and this taxi sped out in front of us. It resulted in Damon punching the taxi driver. I think he broke his nose."

Her friend made a grimace. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to hook you two up in the first place. Damon is kind of known for his problems." She sighed and flipped some curls behind her shoulder. "I'm not supposed to say anything, but.."

Now here's the moment where Elena would usually intercept. She would remind her friend that it's not nice to gossip and that you should respect each other. That everyone comes with their baggage and problems and it's cruel to spread it around and transform them into a laughingstock. But even her morals weren't too strong for this. She had to know the mystery that was Damon Salvatore.

"This is what I gathered from dinners with Stefan, his dad, and their uncle. I don't think they want me to know but, come on, I can connect two and two. Anyway, you know how their mom died when they were young?"

Elena nodded. That was one of the topics they discussed on their date. Now that she thinks about it, that's not something normal people bring up on a first date.

"Well, that apparently, like, scarred Damon. He was only five or six and he refused to eat or come out of his room. I mean, it was _bad_. Like worse than me at the end of _The Notebook. _So, that happened and Giuseppe was freaking out that he was going to lose his son too. He made him go to a child psychologist. That clearly did not help at all because then he developed these anger issues. They think it was because he was angry that his mother died, which is probably the case. I don't think Giuseppe and Damon ever got along too good either.

But then things got worse. He would get into fights in elementary school all the time. Basically everyday over stupid stuff too. Like, one time someone took his crayon and Damon flipped shit. Gave that poor kid a black eye, Elena. A black eye! They continued making him go to that psychologist until he was eighteen. He took medicine and nothing seemed to work. He's just a lost cause."

Elena frowned. "He's not a lost cause, Caroline. His mom died. He just doesn't handle tragic events that well." She thought of him crying in his bedroom and something inside of her softened toward him. He was just a boy. But that still doesn't give an excuse to punch a taxi driver in the face or give a kid a black eye.

"Still. Maybe it's best to just forget about him. Oh, do you want to hear about the time when-" Caroline said a little too excitedly.

"I think that's enough." Elena said, her morals resurfacing. "You really got all of that from pizza night with his dad?"

She nodded and sighed, "I should have been a journalist."

Elena pursed her lips, wondering what a day in Damon's brain would be like. What would it be like to have anger control you like that? There had to be a solution. But, before thinking about how to save Damon's life, a question has been begging to be answered, "Any ex-girlfriends?"

Caroline smirked, possibly because she was corrupting her best friend to her nosy ways. "I got the scoop on one. Katherine Pierce. They dated, she broke his heart. From what I heard, she was the only person he was really close to since his mom died. Although, I'm sensing that you're going to be the one to change that."

The brunette rolled her eyes. "I'm not. Maybe what you said was right, that I should just stay away from him."

"Like you're actually going to listen to me? You look at Damon like he's a new book to be read, a new character to discover. That you just have to go deeper until you find the answer to fix him. That's why you didn't work out with any other guys, apart from the whole chastity thing. You like your romance and mystery genres and Damon has plenty of both."

[...]

Elena went home that evening. She laid out her outfit for work the next day, took a shower, blow-dried her hair and everything else that she would normally do on a Sunday night. Only tonight, as she laid on the couch admiring her extensive collection of books, she realized just how lonely she was. Sometimes paper characters couldn't suffice for company.

Instead, she took out her green leather journal and began writing. She wrote about her day with Caroline, how she secretly want her life, the discovery of Damon's past and how that ties in with his personality. Maybe Caroline was right. What if she was treating Damon like some fictional character with issues? She spent too much time in the little bubble she created that now she found it difficult to climb her way out of it. She was in denial about everything.

That night, she surprised herself by having her first erotic dream.

* * *

**Another chapter done. Thank you all so much! In case you don't know, I completed my other story, "It's Like You're Screaming". So, check that out if you haven't done so already.**

**What's new in the life of Megan? I got my permit! I studied like crazy and was freaking out right before I took the test. I don't know how it is in your state or country, but where I live, the permit test is 18 questions. You have to get 15 right. I got the first 15 right so that meant I was done and the test was over and that I passed flawlessly. Then...I take the vision test...FAILED. My left eye is really bad but my right eye evens it out. The lady saw how angry I was and let me retake it. The letters were super blurry but I saw them and passed.**

**I had my permit for about two days and I already started driving on real roads. My dad is making me learn in his huge Ram truck. I'm like Tinker Bell compared to that truck. Hehe. **

**Anyway, thank you, thank you, thank you!**


	4. Song as Old as Rhyme

**Chapter 4 "Song as Old as Rhyme"**

Elena nearly dropped the phone from her hands when her brother delivered the news to her. She stood in the kitchen, dressed for work, with the phone clutched in her hand and her mouth agape. She had slept in and was on the verge of being late. That was before Jeremy called and she was now supposed to be at work a good ten minutes ago.

"You're engaged?" she stuttered, hardly believing those words. He had just dropped the bomb on her _on the phone_. He was the only one of the Gilberts to hate Manhattan and move to the section of Queens. The siblings hardly ever saw each other anymore, but their bond remained preserved.

"As of last night, yeah. Look, if you're gonna go all protective on me, you met Anna and you said it yourself that she's a nice girl. Mom and Dad got her approval. Even Caroline got her approval." he argued as Elena sunk into the couch. She looked out across the active streets of Manhattan.

She sighed. "No, I am happy for you, Jer. I just wished you told me in person. This is heavy. Wow...um..." She paused, swallowing a lump in her throat. "A-are you sure that this is what you want? I mean...are you happy with her?" Engaged or not, he'd always be her baby brother.

"Elated. She's the one for me." he said, the confidence evident in his voice. "Hey, look, I have to go. I'll call you later, okay? We should hook up sometime. I think Anna wants the wedding to be soon so, she'll need someone to talk about all the girly shit with." He chuckled awkwardly. "Love you, big sis."

"Love you too, little bro." she said then hung up. She threw the phone next to her and put her head in her hands. First Caroline, now Jeremy. They were the ones that were growing up, starting their lives and she wasn't. An invisible barrier that she couldn't cross. She felt the same emotions she felt when Caroline revealed she was expecting - excited for them, but selfishly wishing it was her. It seemed like life was speeding down the tracks and she was still on the platform.

You see, when she was a little girl, she dreamed of her life to be like a novel. That she'd be tall and skinny with blonde hair and blue eyes. She'd be popular and she'd find her Prince Charming with ease. He would sweep her off her feet, treat her like his queen, and she would have no problems. But she did. She couldn't let go of her innocence. It was like she was trying to be a flawless fictional character but was crushed by the weight of reality.

Let's face it; fictional characters don't have any problem having sex with a person that they love.

Everything came back to her innocence and she wondered if she was possibly using it as a scapegoat. That, as soon as she rid herself of her virginity, if that ever happened, the puzzle pieces would fit perfectly and the issues she faced would be subtracted from her life.

Then there was the whole Damon issue. Her heart paced up whenever the "D" word was mentioned. He hadn't called or texted her since their date and that made panic set in her pretty little head. _He probably thought I was a freak for talking about my dead parents_, she thought. Then again, _she_ should be the one thinking that he was a freak. He was on the verge of murdering a cab driver. If it didn't work out, then it didn't work out. But she couldn't help imagining them together at an event that involved rings and a dress.

She will see him today and either he'll pretend to be oblivious to her or not. If one thing was certain, she was not getting off to a good start. Already twenty minutes late. Damon had made it clear at his opening speech that he would not tolerate tardiness. Would he maintain the same rule for someone who he just had a date with? Elena hoped so. But she also didn't want to be known as the coworker that sleeps with the boss.

When she arrived at work a good fifteen minutes later - a total of thirty five minutes late - April was sitting at the front desk, doodling on papers. Elena knew Damon would cause another scene if he saw the main secretary fooling off. She gave April the small but polite smile that she gave her everyday, but this time April said, "You're late, Elena. Was traffic bad?"

"Oh, no. Just received an important phone call right before I left." she explained quickly. All she wanted was to just get in her office and lose all of her thoughts in the words from another person's thoughts. She would work through lunch to make up for the lost time.

April bit her lip. "You'll have to go see Mr. Salvatore. He gave me orders that if anyone was late to send them to his office..." _To get fired_. The words went unsaid but both girls understood. _Oh God,_ Elena thought, _what if he thought our date was a mess and really was going to fire me?_ What would she do then? Editing jobs that paid as well as her's did were hard to come by. _  
_

She nodded and head towards Damon's office. Before knocking twice on the door, she took a deep breath. The response was immediate. "Come in!" Damon shouted, sounding annoyed.

Damon glanced up at her, raising his eyebrows. She gave him a tiny, nervous smile as she slipped in through the opening in the doorway. He pushed the papers on his desk aside and soothed back the left side of his hair. This wasn't part of the plan. He was supposed to ignore her, maybe mutter an apology but that was it. No more contact. Nothing but here she was, standing in his office with her silky curls and long legs and he was a prisoner to her. Completely and utterly lost in her gaze.

"Elena." he greeted and sat up straighter. He cleared his throat, praying that the mint he sucked on earlier washed away traces of what he had for breakfast. "Hey. How are you?" He gestured to the chair in front of his desk. The one that Elena had grown accustomed to.

"I'm good, I guess." She sat. "I, uh, I came in late and April told me to come here."

He frowned, not out of anger, but out of concern. "You don't seem like the 'late' type. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. It's just my brother called me right before I had to leave. The conversation was important." She paused. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again." she assured because she felt like she had to say that. Whose bright idea was it for her to go on a date with her boss?

"Don't worry about it." he promised. While Elena's nerves fluttered away, his began. "About our date...I'm really sorry about how the night ended up. Sometimes I just get like that and I don't know what comes over me. I already called up the taxi company and got the man's address and name. I'm writing an apology letter." he announced, feeling certain that Elena would be proud of him. He couldn't understand why her pride for him felt so necessary.

She did smile. "That's good, Damon."

"You should come over my apartment for dinner tonight." The words were out of his mouth before he had the chance to think them through. He was relieved when he saw the look on Elena's face. Like she wanted him to ask her. "I'll cook. That Italian restaurant has nothing on me." He grinned and he realized how nice it was to smile.

"That sounds lovely. I'll be there. Just text me your address?" She stood up, adjusting her skirt absent-mindedly.

He nodded, taking a shaky breath because that tight skirt did things to him. "Yeah, I will. Have a good day, Elena."

"You too, Damon."

Only when she left his office did the embarrassing memories of her dream came rushing back. She felt a tightening in her stomach. _It felt so real._ His hands on her's, the way they zapped through her. How she didn't felt any pain and it was nothing but bliss. She didn't humiliate herself. She knew exactly what to do. _And that's why they called it a dream,_ Elena thought grimly.

Sex was complicated. Questions that lurked in Elena's mind were various: do I close my eyes or keep them open? do I moan? will it really make me scream like in the movies? The questions were far too mortifying to ask Bonnie or Caroline. She was a clueless as a ten year girl, except she had boobs.

To make matters worse, in her dream, they did it on his desk in his office.

* * *

For the fourth time that evening, Damon blotted his hands on his rough jeans. He started on their meal as soon as he came home from work. Naturally, one of the harder Italian dishes - lobster and mascarpone ravioli - was his favorite and that was what he decided to make. He measured the ingredients to the exact, declaring it a sin to eyeball even how much olive oil was needed. This had to be perfect for Elena.

After he finished creating his masterpiece, he worked on setting the table. Using his best china and silverware, he set it up flawlessly, making sure each spoon and fork and knife were in it's correct place. Then he filled two cups with red wine and took a deep breath.

A few minutes later, Elena knocked on the door. He crossed the kitchen in a nanosecond and opened the door. She wore tight jeans that road up her ass and a black shirt that made her breasts look bigger. He gulped. "Hi." he said, hoping to God that she wouldn't notice his boner that was beginning.

"Hey," She smiled. She stepped into his apartment, taking a look around. He was glad that he straightened up a little beforehand. "Nice place." she commented. "Wow, I don't even see empty beer bottles. And you call yourself a bachelor." She scoffed jokingly.

That cracked a smile on Damon's face. "I'll drink the occasional beer, but bourbon is where it's all at." He went back into the area of the kitchen, which was opened to the living room area where Elena stood. He scooped the raviolis onto separate plates.

"Bourbon?" She made a face.

He laughed, "What? You don't like bourbon." He gasped in mock shock. "Elena Gilbert, I don't think we could be friends anymore."

Arching an eyebrow at him, feeling feisty for a moment, she said, "Friends? Is that what we are?"

Not knowing how to respond to that, he replied, "Not anymore. You don't like bourbon." He carried the plates over the table setting and set them down. Elena slid into her seat and Damon did the same.

The two began eating. Whenever Damon accidentally speared some sauce across his face, he immediately wiped it away with the cloth napkin. Elena, on the other hand, ate delicately. They told of childhood stories. For example, Damon spoke of the time when Stefan nearly drowned in the lake and Damon was the one to save him. Elena told him of when Caroline and her had to jump a fence to run away from the police.

"You ran from the cops?" Damon questioned in disbelief. To him, Elena was the type of person that would nurse an injured baby bird back to health, not one that did something illegal.

She nodded, giggling, "Well, Caroline's mom was the cop that we were running from. We snuck out of her house one school night to see a midnight premiere of a movie. We will felt badass though. I broke my toenail too."

Damon nearly felt out of his seat from laughing so hard. The story wasn't _that_ hilarious, but with Elena's cute giggle and the glass of wine it was. From that point on, he blamed everything on the wine. When Elena was helping him load the dishes into the dishwasher and he put his hand on her ass, it was the wine. But he wasn't the only one effected by the alcohol. When his hand made contact with her rear, something washed through Elena and she wanted more of his touch.

Of course, she blamed it on the wine.

All the flirty comments the two made throughout the night were because of the succulent wine.

The two retreated to the couch. Elena placed her feet on Damon's lap and he all to happily massaged them. She leaned against the opposite arm of the couch, sipping her drink. She sighed, "This is so nice, you know. I wasn't drunk like this in a very long time..." She puffed out her cheeks. "Wow..."

"Alcohol is like a vacation for the soul, buttercup." He rested his hand against the back of the couch, shutting his eyes.

They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes. To avoid falling asleep, Damon asked, "Elena?"

"Mhmm?"

"Is there something that you've wanted to change about yourself but you just can't?" He opened his eyes and looked over at the brunette sitting on his couch. He sat up and shifted himself.

"Of course, Damon. I'm human. Everyone has something they wish that they could change about themselves." she answered, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "Most personality flaws are fixable, if not all of them."

The way he looked at her reminded her of a sad child who lost their favorite toy at the playground. "Even anger issues?"

She confirmed it with a nod. "Even anger issues."

He shook his head and stared down at his feet on the floor. "What about you? You seem flawless. Tell me, Elena, what's your greatest flaw?"

"Well, I have a few and I'm definitely not flawless, Damon." She liked saying his name. "Caroline would say that I treat people like they're characters and that I live my life like I'm in a novel and not in a reality. Your real life version of Don Quixote, I guess. She's right, too. That's what you get from spending all your high school and college years reading novels instead of being social."

"Maybe Caroline is just jealous that you have a better grasp on life and people than she does. Isn't that what happens when you read a lot?" He smiled at her.

Suddenly, there was a burst of melody of a piano erupted into the room. Elena looked over at Damon, confused. He said, "I guess this is the price you pay for living so close to Bryant Park." He stood up and held out his hand toward her. "Dance with me?"

They were both smiling as Elena accepted his hand. He pulled her up and over to the wall that was all window. In the view, they could see a peek of the Bryant Park concert. On the stage was a pianist dressed in a suit while a small audience crowded around him. Damon wrapped an arm around Elena's waist and she placed her hand on his shoulder. Their free hands held together. Together, they beautifully swayed around the edge of his apartment in the beat to the music.

Damon's eyes never left Elena's because he knew that nothing in the world could be more alluring than her.

Elena's eyes never left Damon's because she knew that nothing in the world could be more damaging and bewitching as him.

The song transitioned into another, but the two continued to dance to the old beat. As they danced, Damon said, "You're a wonderful dancer."

"As are you."

But maybe their dancing wasn't so effortlessly easy because they knew how to move their feet. Maybe it was just because they had already memorized each other's rhythm. With their bodies pressed up against each other, Elena's perfume and Damon's musk mixing, they allowed themselves to do something both of them swore they wouldn't do.

They kissed.

Like the dancing, their mouths moved together like they were one. Damon moved his hand down and firmly placed both hands on her waist. Elena's hands were on his shoulders then they slowly moved their way up to cup his face. Her fingers grazed his stubble. It was the kind of kiss that screamed for more. Obeying the passionate desire, Damon picked Elena up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he held onto her ass. He felt her long, silky locks breeze across his forearm and that only made him more addicted to her.

Elena was sitting on top of him, legs spread. Only when she felt the bulge against the center of her body, did she panic. "Damon," she whispered against the area where his lips met his skin. They were both panting now, a sign of just how passionate and intense the kiss was. But as Elena pulled away, she realized that she _did_ want more. Just not now.

"What? Is something wrong?" Damon frowned. Elena felt the lump swell back down from beneath her. _Fucked up again,_ Damon thought. He didn't want to let Elena go, so he wrapped his arms around and she didn't protest.

"No, I...just...um..." She pursed her lips. "I'm not ready. I-I mean...not tonight..." she explained fatherly quickly, feeling the blush creeping up from behind her cheeks. Her whole body was red hot.

A spark of hope that rattled inside Damon dissolved. Though he didn't think much more of it; he just assumed that Elena wasn't one to fuck on second dates. He knew from Stefan's warning and way she presented herself that she wasn't a raging whore like most girls that he was interested in. He remembered a lesson his mother taught him from a young age - _The best things are the things that are worth waiting for._ Though he assumed his mother wouldn't be proud of him to use that when he thought of sex with Elena, at least he was using her philosophy.

Elena hated herself almost as much as she embarrassed of herself. Damon now knew that she was nothing but a scared little virgin. He'd probably concluded that he was too mature for her. Not even worth his time. Caroline was right. She should leave and forget all about him. So, as these thoughts encompassed her brain, she was shocked when Damon just kissed her forehead.

"Maybe another time, then." he whispered.

She nodded and kissed him slowly once again. Damon took in her milky lipstick, the way she grazed the edges of his ears as she kissed him. Elena was aware of his five o'clock shadow pressed against her chin and cheeks and it bother her. She even loved the bitter taste of bourbon on his lips.

"I should go." she said. "Thank you so much for everything tonight. The food was delicious." She stood up.

"You're so welcome." He stood up next to her, helping her pull her light leather jacket on. "You know that these means? You have to cook next time." he teased. Elena's eyes widen in horror. "What?" Damon asked.

She bit her lip. "I inherited the horrible cook gene from my mom. My dad was the one who did all the cooking." she admitted.

Damon grinned this off-kiltered grin. "I guess that I'll just have to teach you, Lena."

* * *

**Sorry it took me a while to update! I hope that y'all enjoyed it. Thank you so much!**


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